Coming in at under two hundred pages, Ingvild Bjerkeland’s Beasts packs plenty of punch. Translated by Rosie Hedger, it’s the first of Bjerkeland’s novels to be published in English. Led by the engaging duo of Abdi and Alva, its rapid series of set pieces keep readers gripped from the get-go, revealing much about the monsters, inhuman or otherwise, that inhabit their world.

While Bjerkeland writes primarily for children and young adults, Beasts is a fine example of how good writing and an engaging story can easily transcend recommended age groups - though the scares in this one mean it’s probably best for teens upwards.

Proof that the best things often do come in the smallest packages, Beasts hits much harder than its short page count might suggest. This one ticks off everything that makes for a good horror, packing its high stakes with a healthy dose of heart and a dash of social commentary. Does it reinvent the wheel? No, not particularly. But when the wheel works this well, why would you need to?

This is a fast paced YA novella with a quiet place aura to its. I throughly enjoyed this novella. The writing was easy to understand, flowed well and had an emotional touch to the characters and plot. I also adore this cover! I recommend this book and think younger children and adults would adore this story!

Honestly, at first I thought I was going to dislike this book. It kind of felt like I was reading a story I would write in middle school, because the prose was so simplistic. And I'm a believe that even if a book is written for a younger audience, it doesn't need to be super simple. But I reminded myself that we are seeing this story from a POV of a very young child as he tries to take care of his little sister during some sort of apocalypse where "beasts" are tracking and killing humans. So the simplicity began to make more sense the longer I read.

We also started to get a bit more detail--what the beasts look like (although we never get super close up to them). Mostly we follow the brother and sister as they travel and stay short spans in different houses, and we get little snippets of how they survive and scavenge for supplies, which were my favorite parts.

I read this in about an hour as it reads super quick. There is a very open ending and you don't any answers to what the beasts really are, how the apocalypse started, or anything like that. It's almost slice of life, and I feel like the author could do other stories in the same world following different groups of people, although I don't think that is their intention.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Beasts by Ingvild Bjerkeland is a tense and atmospheric horror novel that explores fear, isolation, and the blurred lines between reality and nightmare. The writing is evocative, with a strong sense of unease that builds steadily. However, the pacing can feel uneven, with moments of intense dread interspersed with slower sections that may lose some readers’ engagement. While the psychological horror elements are compelling, the narrative’s resolution might not satisfy those looking for clear answers. Overall, it’s an eerie and unsettling read, but its effectiveness depends on the reader’s tolerance for ambiguity.

The story of Abdi and Alva, although short, was very satisfying. There was tension and scary moments but not outright horror. I would not let my preteen grandchildren read this as it is quite an emotionally taxing book but it is great for the older ones. The ending leaves you hanging a bit with no firm conclusion but has positive vibes. Overall I would buy this authors works if more were in english.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this novella a lot! it's very Last of Us-esque and not the most original storyline ever, but you seriously can't go wrong and I loved the world building it created. Part of me wishing this was a full-length novel because I could have just kept reading and reading, but I appreciate what it did! I would definitely recommend to friends and family and would pick up a physical copy for my bookshelf. The cover art is so pleasing!

This book sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It made me cry, made me tense, and very invested in the story and 2 main characters,
This is a great quick read that'll leave you wondering about the beasts. Where did they come from?
I am very excited to read more from Ingvild Bjerkland.
5/5 stars from me :)) Thank you, #netgalley for letting me read this ARC :)

Fast, easy to read, interesting stuff! A punchy dystopian novel, overall had a blast with it. I'm always very moved by stories about kids dealing with the fallout of a larger societal issue (in this case, its downfall).

This book was a page turner for me! I grew fond of the main characters immediately. I enjoyed escaping into this book. I do think is similar and repetitive to other dystopian novels but I enjoyed the writing and adventure.

Beasts seems to take inspiration from A Quiet Place, with strange monsters of unknown origins laying havoc to civilized society and two young children doing their best to survive an impossible situation. After losing their mother to an attack, Abdi and Alva try to survive illness, weather, and the beasts, both animal and human, that stand between their home and evacuation to safety.

This story has so much potential, but it either needed to be longer, or cut out some elements to spend more time with its themes. The stakes are high and well-explained, and Ingvild Bjerkeland does an exceptional job balancing the naivety of children this age with the skepticism that comes with the kind of trauma Abdi and Alva have endured since the monsters arrived. This story was strongest when society was still collapsing, and we saw what it took for people to cross their own lines. The beasts had scary moments, but because we interacted with them very little, I didn’t feel as much about them as I did about characters like Kai and Lucy. I also feel that there were some translation choices and errors that contributed to my dissatisfaction with the story.

All in all, this is a great middle grades appropriate horror book. It’s not gory or overly frightening, but there are moments of suspense. I will definitely be re-reading it once it releases to see if it gets cleaned up.

Fast paced, easy to read novella—and very short so you can definitely finish it in one sitting. It's thrilling and it kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to end. It is also emotional, I *almost* shed my tears several times, and it is terrifying—just imagine a 13 yo boy running for his dear life while protecting his little sister, got chased by a monster, and witnessed their mother got killed before.

I love the relationship between Abdi and Alva. Abdi is such a caring, protecting older brother. He is the only character I can easily connect with. However, when I read it, I feel like Alva is somehow older than 5 years old.

The setting feels like typical apocalyptic world, quiet but eerie, everyone's either running away or hiding somewhere. It is scary—in a good way.

If you want a fast-read, spine chilling story, this is definitely worth checking.

Fast paced, the story overall is great and the pacing good. I HATED the ending though. Why did you end it like that?

As siblings Abdi and Alva struggle to survive after beasts -- strange creatures that no one knows anything about -- attack their home, they find themselves alone and making their way to the costal city of Djupevik. Together they try to determine who they can trust and the lengths they will go to survive.

This was a great book. Starting from the first page, the fast pace keeps you at the edge of your seat as you follow the siblings from one crisis to another. I appreciate the flashbacks to the early days of the attacks as it demonstrates just how quickly the kids ended up in the situation that they are in. Abdi and Alva's relationship is heartwarming and bittersweet as they cling to each other as they progress through the book.

The abrupt ending kind of threw me off and, with no suggesting of a sequel or series, it was slightly disappointing.

Abdi is a 13 year old boy and has to take care of his little sister in a world overrun by monsters called Beasts.

This novella is a YA spin on The Quiet Place and Bird Box, as well as the Netflix Nordic production The Rain. The Scandinavian vibes are definitely noticeable in the easy, fast-paced writing style of the author.

This novella is the first work of Ingvild Bjerkeland to be translated into English, prior to that they have only published children's books. As much as I love a good open ended horror novella, this could have gone a little more in-depth on the aspects of human interactions in such brutal, hard times. I would have enjoyed more of Abdi's input on how others treat them and how big of a change he had to undergo in order to make everything work.

Alva's character isn't explored at all, which is unfortunate, but understandable. However, I think a child aged 5 would have gotten in far more trouble than the siblings had to endure.

Nevertheless, Beasts is highly enjoyable and a good entry point for younger horror readers, or just as a quick and atmospheric story for older genre enthusiasts.

"...but fear followed me into my dreams and painted them red."

Ingvild Bjerkeland's novella is about Thirteen-year-old Abdi and his five-year-old sister Alva are on the run, they live in a world that has been overrun by hitherto unknown beasts. Their last hope is to escape through the forest and to the sea. As they recall the strange events that led to the beasts' arrival, and how the two of them got to where they were, they must ask themselves who they can trust and what they will do to survive.

This is a YA novella that has been described as a cross between "A Quiet Place" and "The Road".

With this kind of trope the heart of the story lies within the will to survive between these two siblings. The way in which they overcome the most horrific events, challenges to survive and the strength in hope makes this a heartbreaking read.

The story being told through the point of view of these siblings makes it all the more emotional.

I wanted this to go deeper into the minds of the characters. The what happened was okay, but I wanted to care more about who it happened to.

I read this book yesterday, which initially caught my attention on NetGalley, first due to its striking cover and then the intriguing promotional blurb. If you're a fast reader, it’s possible to finish it in a very short time. The story is reminiscent of The Road. Two young siblings are attempting to escape an island overrun by Beasts. After their mother is killed by these creatures, the two children, Abdi and Alva, not only fight to survive but also struggle to reach a boat that will take them away from the island. The chapters are short, and the language is incredibly simple, even to the point of being almost too straightforward. This, I believe, is due to the book can be defined as part of the young adult genre. The novel features giant, furry creatures that attack and kill humans, though their origin is never clearly explained. While this is a bit of a cliche—along with the journey and road detail—it still offers an enjoyable read for young adult fiction fans.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC.
(Pub day: April 2025)

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I did enjoy this very much. Considering this is YA I felt like it was very suspenseful but too much as to be too much for a you get audience. It’s was so intense that I needed to know what was happening the whole time I read this. If I didn’t have to work I would’ve finished immediately. The only things stopping this from being rated higher is I didn’t love the ending and the second half of the book felt a bit rushed. The first half was perfectly paced in my opinion. If this book was like 200 pages longer I think it would’ve had more time for a solid story and I would’ve loved it more.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved Ingvild Bjerkeland’s writing, she had a grip on me the entire time. The entire book felt haunted with the uncertainty of what was to come and yet throughout it all the young characters desperately clung to the hope of finding their father. This would be an excellent pick for a children’s book club as there is so much that can be discussed with youth readers. I can very easily see this book becoming a modern classic, with young readers connecting to it in a similar as many connect to Hatchet.

Thank you NetGalley and Levine Querido for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, addictive read. I really loved the characters Abidi and Alva. The descriptions of the monsters were chilling as was the new reality of the world these children find themselves in. I also really liked that the author didn't shy away from the harsh realities of what a dystopian world could mean. (People dying, refusing to help, violence) My biggest complaint is that this story didn't seem long enough and seemed unfinished. This story abruptly ends right in the middle of things- I thought perhaps I might have got an incomplete file. I don't mind open and ambiguous endings- but this one just left me disappointed.